Wifi Only mode coming to Google Maps

Cellular data can be expensive and Wi-Fi is often free. Thankfully it seems Google Maps will soon work on just Wi-Fi.

Google has yet to announce this option. Users are reporting the additional mode is found in the settings of Google Maps and replaces the “Offline areas” option. Once activated, Google Maps will load the majority of the data through Wi-Fi signals, though, as a warning notifies users, a small amount of cellular data might still be consumed.

Without an official announcement from Google, it’s unclear how this new option is different from the app’s offline area mode — though one can hope that the new option is superior. With a constant cellular connection, Google Maps is fantastic. But when data is not available, the app falters. Other mapping apps better handle this situation.

CityMapper is fantastic tool for navigating around cities and sports a powerful offline mode. It would be wise for Google to look at CityMapper for inspiration. It’s my go-to app when traveling to locations where cellular data is expensive or not available.